Explorations in Australia: The Journals of John McDouall Stuart During the Years 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862, When He Fixed the Centre of the Continent and Successfully Crossed It from Sea to SeaStuart, John McDouall
History
Explorations in Australia: The Journals of John McDouall Stuart During the Years 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862, When He Fixed the Centre of the Continent and Successfully Crossed It from Sea to Sea
Stuart, John McDouall
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Stuart, John McDouall, 1815-1866
Sunday, 4th July, Same Place. Not the slightest appearance of a change.
It rained in torrents all night and all day, though at sundown it seemed
to be breaking a little. The creek came down in the forenoon, overflowed
its banks, and left us on an island before we knew what we were about. We
were obliged to seek a higher place. Not content with depriving us of our
first worley, it has now forced us to retreat to a bare hill, without any
protection from the weather. The rain has come from the north-east.
Monday, 5th July, Same Place. The rain lasted the greater part of the
night, but became light before morning. Started at 12.30 on a bearing of
312 degrees for eleven miles to some sand hills. A fearfully hard day's
work for the poor horses over a stony plain, sinking up to their knees in
mud, until at eight miles we crossed a reedy swamp two miles in breadth,
and how many in length I know not, for it seemed all one sheet of water:
it took our horses up to their bellies.
Tuesday, 6th July, Sand Hills. All our rations and everything we have got
being perfectly saturated with wet, I have made up my mind to stop and
put them to rights; if we neglect them it will soon be all over with us.
This was a beautiful day, not a cloud to be seen. There are a great many
natives' tracks in these sand hills, and plenty of grass.
Wednesday, 7th July, Sand Hills. Heavy dew last night. Started on a
bearing of 312 degrees at 9 a.m. At eleven miles the sand hills cease,
and stony plain commences. The sand hills were well grassed: also the
stony plain. Dip of the country still north-east. We crossed two
watercourses--one at this side of the plain, and the other two miles
back, broad and shallow. I could see gum-trees on the latter about two
miles to the north-east as if it formed itself into a deeper channel.
Travelling very heavy. Distance to-day, twenty-five miles.
Thursday, 8th July, Sand Hills. A very heavy dew again last night.
Started at 9 a.m. At one mile we came on yesterday's course; could see
nothing; changed the bearing to 272 degrees. At seven miles crossed a
creek running north and a little west, the water being up to our
saddle-flaps. At twelve miles the sand hills ceased, and we came upon an
elevated plain, of a light-brown soil, with fragments of stone on the
surface. At twenty-five miles, in the middle of this plain, we camped,
without wood, and in sight of a large range in the far distance to the
west. Distance to-day, twenty-five miles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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